Apparatus for finishing leather



y 23, 1929- o. F. w. CROMWELL APPARATUS FOR FINISHING LEATHER Filed April 28, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet we ,W m w W I 0 y 1929' o. F. w. CROMWELL 1,715,226

APPARATUS FOR FINISHING LEATHER Filed A ril 28, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 Z9. is 23 I if 9 gnwntot E drama fizz y 1929- v o. F. w. CROMWELL 1.715.226

APPARATUS FOR FINISHING LEATHER Filed April 28, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 aEWU/vmn e ll Patented May 28, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-res.

OLIVER F. W. CROMWELL, OF RIDGWAY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ArrAIui'rUs son FINISHING LEATHER.

Application filed "April 28,

This invention relates to apparatus for finishing leather and the like and more particularly to a machine for rolling orironing the same. t

An important object of the invention is to provide a simple and compact mechanism for this purpose which will replace the bulky and relativel complicated structures now employed and will producea more uniform product at a higher rate of speed than is possible with such mechanisms.

A still further object of the invention is to produce "a device of this character which maybe relatively cheaply. manufactured and installed, which will be durable and ellicient in service and a general improvement in the art. i

These and otherbbjects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, -wherein for thepurpose of illustration'is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein:--

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine for finishing'leather and the likeiconstructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fi ure 3 is a transverse sectional view on the hne 33' of. Figure 2;- v

Figure 4-. is a section on the line 44 of Fi ure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation of the upper end of the guide sole;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Figure l;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the yoke mountmg.

Figure 9 is a cross section through the roller stem just below number 38 of Figure 8.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, .the numeral 10 generally designates a supporting frame which includes longitudinally extending spaced parallel side members 11. These side members intermediate their ends are connected by a transversely extending platform 12 which will be hereinafter referred to as the bed of the machine. At their ends, the side members are provided with pairs of opposed bearings 13 and 14 mounting conveyor drum shafts 15 and 16 respectively. The shaft 15 projects beyond one side of the frameand has mounted thereon a drive ulley and each shaft between the side mem ers has applied thereto a drum 1?, to the upper surface of which the bearing.

1928. Serial No. 276,634.

bed is tangential. About these drums, a canyas conveyor belt 18 is passed. The bear mgs 14: of the shaft 16 are adjustable 'lo'ngi. tndinally of the side members,- so that this belt may be kept at a proper tension. In the present instance, the bearings 14 are shown as mounted upon slides 19 secured to the sidemembers. Adjacent the slides, the side members have secured thereto standards 20 through which are directed adjustment screws 21 engaging the adjacent ends of the These adjustment screws may be held in fixed position b I lock nuts 22. Arismg from the side mem ers 11 at one end of the machine bed are a pair of vertical standards 23 and 24 which are at present illustrated as comprising extensions of standards sup-- porting the side members. The standard 24: is in the-form of aguide and is'provided with a guide slot 25 and at the op'posite'end of the bed and at the opposite side thereof from this standard a secondsimila-r guide standard 26 is disposed.

The upper ends of the guide standards 24: and-26 are connected by a beam 27 having extending downwardly therefrom shaft hangers 28 within which a shaft 29 is mounted. The beam 27 has at spaced intervals vertically extending guide openings 30 receiving and guiding the upper ends of thrust bars 31, the lower ends of which are pivotally connected with a beam 32, the ends of which are guided in the slots25 of the standards 24; and 26. Each thrust bar 31 is threaded and has mounted thereon a gear nut 33, which abuts the under face of the beam and is engaged with a worm 34 upon the shaft 29. The upper ends of the standards 23 and 24 are connected by a brace beam 35 providing a foundation for a motor 36having a belt and pulley connection at 37 with the shaft 29.

Arranged beneath the beam 32 is a second beam 38 whose ends are likewise guided in the-slots 25. Springs 39 are arranged between the beams 32 and 38, which constantly urge these beams apart and the beams are connected by slotted links 40 limiting the separation thereof. The beam 38 has secured thereto a plurality of longitudinally spaced vertically extending plunger guides 41 Within which the plungers 42 are mounted for vertical movement and are held against rotat-ion. In the present instance, each plunger guide is shown as formed in two sectlons adapted to be bolted together to provide a eir'eular guide sleeve 43, one of the sections having flanges-44 projecting inwardly therefrom. The plungers 42 are slotted for the reception of these flanges, as at 45, and have secured to the upper ends thereof washers 46 which will engage the upper ends of the flanges and limit down ward movement thereof. Within the upper ends of the sleeves 43, springs 47 are disposed for urging the plungers downwardly.

Each plunger has secured to the lower end thereof. a yoke 48 within which is mounted a roller 49 having secured thereto a pulley 50. The standards 23 and 24 provide bearings 51 for an elongated drum pulley 52 upon which are mounted belts 53 connected with the pulleys 50. The beam 27 provides a mounting for a motor 54 which is connected with a pul ley 55 upon the shaft of the drum pulley 52 by a belt 56. The beam 35 mounts a third motor 57 which is belt-connected with the pulley of the drum shaft 15.

It will be obvious that the canvas belt will serve to feed the material beneath the rollers 49 and that these rollers may be operated at any desired speed by controlling the speed of the motor thereof. The pressure of these rollers against the material as it passes thereunder may be regulated by adjusting the thrust bars 31 downwardly.

A machine of this character is employed in the treatment of sole leather to compact the fibers of the leather and set the grain thereof. Many hides are soft and bag y and have a tendency to stretch and such hi es are without value in the industry. Ordinarily in the treatment of these hides, a number of processes must be gone through to place the hide in proper condition for sale but with the use of apparatus of the character described, it is merely necessary that the hide be placed upon the bed and passed between the rollers. I

The rollers having a combined width greater than the width of the bed so that they overlap one another act upon the leather to compact and firm each and every part of the hide. It is pointed out that a single firming roller extending transversely of the bed would be entirely without value, due to the fact that hides are of varying thicknesses, and that for this reason, certain parts of the hide would never be reached by such a roller. A plurality of short rollers in transverse alignment will be useless, for the reason that ridges would be left between adjacent rollers which could never be removed from the hide. WVi t-h my apparatus, a very firm and uniform pressure can be placed upon the hide for its entire width and the hide can be well firmed without the formation of ridges therein. By driving the rollers individually, a slight slip of the roller upon the surface of the hide can be obtained which, without tending to stretch the hide, will give the slight burnish thereto, which is desirable in sole leather 'Since the construction hereinbefore set forth is capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of the invention, I do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. In a machine for rolling leather and other materials, a bed, a conveyor apron traveling thereover, a beam extending diagonally across the bed, a plurality of rollers carried by the beam and having their axes extending transversely of the bed, and means yieldably urging the rollers downwardly from the beam, said rollers having a combined length greater than the width of the bed.

2. In a machine for rolling leather and other materials, a bed, a conveyor apron traveling thereover, a beam extending diagonally across the bed, a plurality of rollers carried by the beam and having their axes. extending transversely of the bed, means yieldably urging the rollers downwardly from the beam, said rollers having a combined length greater than the width of the bed and means yield ably urging said beam downwardly.

3. In a machine for rolling leather and other materials, a bed, a conveyor apron traveling thereover, a beam extending diagonally across the bed, a plurality of rollers carried by the beam and having their axes extending transversely of the bed, means yieldably urging the rollers, downwardly from the beam, said rollers having a combined length greater than the width of the bed and means for positively driving said rollers.

4. In a machine for rolling leather and other materials, a bed, a conveyor apron traveling thereover, a beam extending diagonally across the bed, a plurality of rollers carried by the beam and having their axes extending transversely of the bed, means yieldably urging the rollers downwardly from the beam, said rollers having a combined length greater than the width of the bed, means yieldably urging said beam downwardly, and means for positively driving said rollers.

5. In a machine for rolling leather and other materials, a. bed, a conveyor apron travcling thereover, a beam extending diagonally across the bed, a plurality of rollers carried by the beam and having their axes extending transversely of the bed, means yieldably urging the rollers downwardly from the beam, said rollers having a combined length greater than the width of the bed, a support for said beam, connections between the support and beam permit-ting relative vertical movement of the support and beam and springs urging the beam downwardly from the support.

6. In a machine for rolling leather and other materials, a bed, a conveyor apron traveling thereover, a beam extending diagonally across the bed, a plurality of rollers carried by the beam and having t eir axes extending transversely of the bed, means yieldably urging the rollers downwardly from the beam, said rollers having a combined length greater than the width of the bed, a support for said beam, connections between the support and beam permitting relative vertical movement of the support and beam, springs urging the beam downwardly from the support, and means for vertically adjusting the support.

7. In a machine for rolling leather and other materials, a bed, a conveyor apron traveling thereover, a beam extending diagonally across the bed, a plurality of rollers carried by the beam and having their axes extending transversely of the bed, means yieldably urging the rollers downwardly from the beam, said rollers having a combined length greater than the width of the bed, means yieldably urging said beam downwardly, means for independently driving said rollers and ('onveyor, and means for adjustably regulating the pressure with which said rollers are urged toward the bed.

8. In a machine for rolling lather and other materials, a bed, a conveyor apron traveling thereover, a beam extending diagonally across the bed, a plurality of rollers earried by the beam and having their axes extending transversely of the bed, means yieldably urging the rollers downwardly from the beam, a support for said beam, said rollers having a combined width greater than the width of the bed, connections between the support and beam permitting relative vertical movement of the support and beam, springs urging the beam downwardly from the support, means for vertically adjusting the support comprising a stationary beam above the support, a shaft rotatably supported from said stationary beam, a plurality of thrust bars guided at their upper ends by said stationary beam and pivoted at their lower ends to the support, worm nuts upon each thrust bar and operatively engaging the stationary beam, said shaft having worms engaging said nuts, and means for rotating said shaft.

9. In a machine for rolling leather and other materials, a. bed, a. conveyor apron traveling thereover, a support extending diagonally across the bed, a plurality of rollers carried by the support and having their axes extending transversely of the bed, means yieldably urging the rollers downwardly from the beam, means yieldably urging said beam downwardly, and means for independently driving said rollers and conveyor.

It). In a machine for rolling leather and other materials, a bed, a conveyor apron traveling thereover and a series of short rollers spring-urged toward the bed and engaging said apron, said rollers having their axes extended transversely of the bed and having a combined length greater than the width of the bed, said rollers having their axes parallel to one another and to the bed but out of alignment.

11. In a machine for rolling leather and other materials, a bed, a conveyor apron traveling thereover and a series of short rollers spring-urged toward the bed and engaging said apron, said rollers having their axes extended transversely of the bed and having a combined length greater than the width ol' the bed, and means for independently driving said rollers and eonveyor apron, the axes of said rollers being parallel to one another and to the bed but being disposed out of alignlnent with one another. 7

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

OLIVER F \V. CROMlVELL. 

